Posts by Matt Ryan

If we applied your argument about Neflix to open buffets, the buffet owner would try to get his food supplier to pay him so his customers could eat the food.

Re: This line of questioning is applicable..

Have a read of https://www.nber.org/papers/w10433 as it explains why, despite Bezos being super rich (and probably a total arse), we benefit from him starting and growing Amazon. TL;DR - Innovators capture only a small percentage of the value they create The rest goes to society as a whole.

Re: Network Solutions is better

The initial proposal was based on who registered first. However, this being Nominet, they changed that to prefer co.uk over org.uk over me.uk (see https://www.nominet.uk/three-month-countdown-begins-for-third-level-uk-domain-owners-to-opt-for-uk-equivalent/).

Therefore a org.uk that had a domain for 20 years was trumped by a co.uk registered only 6 months previously.

Re: Monopoly

<cough>Nominet</cough>

Re: Could be worse

What did they audit? The accounts or the security practises?

Re: Train WiFi was actually that bad for a while

Current train WiFi on LNER does something strange with HTTPS certificates - Google Photos always complains about this.

So we should believe what the CEO says instead? No reason for him to lie (other than a propensity for psychopathic behaviour, massive salary and non-vested options).

Re: Reminds me of the time ...

No one more righteously indignant that someone who is in the wrong.

Ever been swore at by another driver who cut you up - that's them (all of you).

Re: re: if you are a complete Jodrell Banker.

Why would it matter? Are you proposing appropriating their earnings?

Re: Median Pay Gap is a bad measure if you want to make decisions.

And that there is the elephant in the room - women (in general) earn less than men because they take time out from their careers to drop sprogs.

Career women without children earn the same (or in many cases more) than men. That's the sacrifice they make.

Re: 4 letters covers it

As with many things about the EU and Brexit, they need us more than we need them. Largest intelligence gathering network is FVEY. No EU nation is part of that after Brexit so they lose access to what it knows. Hence need to keep Blighty on side...

Re: Tax allowance for costs is a grace

This is why the public could do with a better understanding of tax. The allowance you reference isn't for the cost of the goods - it's to cover investment which can be offset over multiple years.

It's also worth noting that corporation tax is incident on the consumer rather than the company. The company already pays significant tax via their employees in the UK.

It'd be much better to simplify the tax rules so that these 'schemes' are pointless.

Re: SMEs don't have as big ...

Or the non-exec positions an MP will need to supplement the pittance they are paid (obviously excluding all the generous expenses).

Re: UK needs the EU

Well, the member states propose their commissioner and it's rubber stamped by the parliament. The commission then proposes another 27 commissioners that are voted for as a single bloc.

Somewhat like what happens with the House of Lords which no one thinks is a good way of populating an upper house.

Re: Something is wrong.

And despite his ejection from BT, he'll be exactly the right person to lead some other telco into ruin. Of course, he'll probably drain a few 10s millions of pounds from the next one before he is booted again.

If others saw more value in Xerox they could have bought shares and stopped Icahn. They didn't, the market spoke - the value wasn't there, and now he gets to do what he wants.

Re: No people skills whatsovever

Knew Gavin when I worked at Telewest - must be the looks that got him to the top of BT 'cos it ain't the brains.

Re: However ...

A trust if not a trick if it's perfectly legal. The beneficiary of the trust doesn't own the assets (that's the trust) so only benefits from any rents, income etc that the trust pays out.

So for example, the fuss about the Duke of Westminster inheriting £9Bn without any inheritance tax is wrong as he doesn't - it's still owned by the trust.

He might get some money from it on an on-going basis (let's for argument say 5%) but he'll pay tax on that. The trust also has to pay our 6% of its entire asset value every 10 years in lieu of IHT so it doesn't avoid it. In fact 'we' get money earlier as you don't have to wait for him to die.

Not quite how it's made out in the media.

Re: Investment?

You jest? https://www.gov.uk/capital-allowances

Being a technocratic placeman, what makes you think he won't be promoted? Next President of France perhaps?

Re: Yes, but...

You're not in the UK then...

Of course you can - ignore all letters from the TV Licensing people and if (big if) someone from Crapita comes to the door, tell them to sod off.

Is it incompetence? I'm a civil servant looking for a nice well paid job in a military contractor. Do I make it hard for them in my current job, or easy so they look favourably at me in future? Need to stop the revolving door between public sector and the private companies to address this problem.

Re: Hmmm...

Jeremy Corbyn?

Re: End of the TV Licence

It's only 40p/day for you because others are extorted for the licence fee. Would you feel so happy about paying £4/day if only 1 in 10 took out a subscription?

Brexit means Hard Brexit as that was the worst case scenario on offer and the majority still voted for it. Some may wish for something less than the UK leaving all EU treaties and institutions but at the end of the day if that's all on offer then that'll be what we get.

Ignoring the sensible part...

Fashion

One-up-man-ship

Re: How does this fit?

The pay peanuts with the promise that maybe you'll end up at the top of the pyramid. Ponzi scheme at best.

Because there are a number of people in the NHS benefiting from MS "hospitality" (sic)?

Taking a Jedi

Jedi Knight ryhmes with?